


Judith I - Glorious Dawn Mix

by Selah



Series: Long Time Coming [3]
Category: Celestial Garden (Band), Jrock, Kagrra, ViViD (Band)
Genre: Anal Sex, Infidelity, M/M, hints of D/s, hints of pet play, light Daddy/boy kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-21
Updated: 2015-07-21
Packaged: 2018-04-10 13:04:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4393052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selah/pseuds/Selah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A beautiful dream. But nothing lasts forever, not even the most beautiful of dreams.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Judith I - Glorious Dawn Mix

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Judith](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4309101) by [Selah](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selah/pseuds/Selah). 



> One part remix, ten parts expansion. Well, ok, fourteen parts expansion. Starts in early 2009 and ends with a remix of the first scene from Judith (so yes, someday there will be a Judith II as well). There've been a few minor edits since this was first released on LJ.

Reno made a slow turn in front of Isshi, modeling the furisode his boyfriend was loaning him for the day. His boyfriend. Just thinking those words was enough to make him blush a bit, to squirm and wonder just how he had gotten so lucky and so quickly. He'd scored the coup of the century, making Isshi his, and he didn't care what other people thought of him for it. So what if Isshi was older than him? Meant he had more experience and that was something Reno very much appreciated.

“Very nice, cherry,” Isshi murmured, stopping him before he could finish his turn with hands on his hips. “You make a lovely onnagata.”

Reno felt himself blushing at the murmured comments, leaning back against the older man. Isshi had a habit of making him feel silly and self-conscious, but unlike with IV's teasing, he found he didn't really mind. And the blushing had the side effect of a nickname no one else would ever think to use with him. Something special, something that was only theirs.

“You're blushing again, aren't you?” Isshi teased softly, carefully turning him around the rest of the way. Impossible for him to deny, he leaned into the brush of fingers against his warmed cheek. “Peach was a good choice for you and your pink cheeks.”

“You're terrible,” he mumbled, playfully swatting at the other man.

“Terrible? Me? I'm sure I have no idea what you mean, cherry.”

Reno shook his head, stepping away from his lover even though all he really wanted to do was to stay home. He didn't get all that many free days that he could just stay in bed all day and a part of him was annoyed at having to give up just such a thing. But at the same time, he knew Isshi had been planning this hanami picnic for them all week, even to the point of inviting other people on the label and even Kuina. Knowing that they were going to what amounted to a company party didn't make him particularly more eager - for one thing, it meant keeping his hands to himself - but he couldn't say no to Isshi in anything it seemed. Not even if it meant dressing up like a girl. Seeing Isshi in his formal kimono didn't really make him feel any less self-conscious. For last year's hanami, he had worn jeans and a bulky hoodie to counter the spring chill. As much as he liked the way the furisode looked and felt, he couldn't help worrying he was going to spend the entire outing feeling half frozen.

“We should get going, cherry. Naoran is probably already wondering where we are,” Isshi said as he picked up a large, family-sized lacquered bento box. Reno wasn't sure that was going to be enough for everyone, especially knowing the way IV liked to eat, but maybe he could sneak in a few words with his silly bassist when they got to the park, about manners and such. And maybe text Shin, too? Ah, he should have thought of that sooner, Shin might not be able to do anything to help this late. Well, he would deal with being yelled at by his vocalist later if it meant there was more food for everyone to enjoy. All part of being leader, right? Right.

~*~*~

Isshi frowned at his computer from his kitchen. Who on earth could be pinging him like that? Not like he had even stepped away that long, having only just gotten up to make himself another cup of tea. Well, whoever it was, they would just have to wait a little longer. If it was really that much of an emergency, then whoever it was could call his phone. That he had probably left upstairs again. Oops. Perhaps he ought to fetch that before he forgot about it again.

When he finally returned to his computer, there was quite the string of messages waiting for him, mostly from Kuina but a few from Reno as well, asking if he was mad at him. _Kids today_ , he thought to himself with a slight smile, setting about soothing ruffled feathers. He genuinely liked Kuina, even if the kid hadn't made the best first impression, but every once in awhile.... Well, Kuina and Reno were both quite a bit younger, that was probably why things sometimes went a bit sideways. Though now that Kuina and Boye were an item, well, perhaps Boye would sort him out a bit?

Now there was someone with a good head on her shoulders. Not that she didn't have her moments, too, of practically giving him grey hairs. But then that was what family did. And he had no problem accepting a few grey hairs as the price for having a happy and full family life. As often as he had to dye his hair anyway, not like anyone but his stylist would ever know.

The dogs barking were more than ample warning for his impending company. Promising both Kuina and Reno that he would talk with them more later, he shut down his computer before getting up to greet his guests.

“I know, we're early,” Naoki said, waving aside Isshi's attempt to relieve him of his bag even as he stepped out of his shoes. “You know how Izumi is~”

“Oi, mind your manners,” Izumi mock scolded, grinning up at Isshi a beat later. “I think demon-kun likes having work days here so he can have a full house again.”

“You have to admit, it's more comfortable than piling into a studio room. And cheaper!”

“And the food's better,” Izumi agreed, laughing. “Did you pick up everything I asked you to?”

“Of course, of course. I'd ask if you need help with anything, but since the answer is always the same, I'll just go open up the dining room.”

That earned him a laughing swat, but it couldn't be helped. His kitchen wasn't big enough for three cooks anyway, he was better off staying out of the way. For that matter, he half expected Izumi to join him in the dining room well before Naoki was done with his cooking. It was just the way things were, the way they had always been, it seemed.

“So how are things with you and this Reno-kun of yours?”

“You don't have to fuss so, kaachan,” Isshi teased, glancing over his shoulder to spot Izumi leaning against the door frame. His friend didn't look entirely convinced, quirking an eyebrow at him. “What?”

“He's a bit young, don't you think?” his friend said, frowning.

“As if physical age matters so much,” he countered. He knew Izumi liked to worry and it wasn't necessarily without merit, but still.... “You worry too much. I'm a big boy, kaachan, I know what I'm doing.

“All right, all right, well ... as long as he makes you happy. It would look bad if I had to kill a kouhai for hurting you~”

Isshi laughed, tossing a wadded up napkin at his friend and bandleader. Ridiculous. He wasn't fool enough to think that what he had with Reno was definitely going to last forever; he had made that mistake already with someone in the past, he wouldn't be fooled by his feelings so easily this time. But it was definitely a good thing they had between them and yes, Reno definitely made him happy. Very happy.

~*~*~

_You know, I find it kinda funny how you're always talking about how important truth is and how much you hate liars and yet you're sleeping with the biggest liar of them all._

There had been no signature, no name attached to the message that had landed in his inbox, sent from the website. He tried to tell himself to ignore it, but that was easier said than done. It wasn't like he was out with his dating status, so the message had to have come from someone who knew him well. Or, more likely, someone who knew Reno well, since all of his own close friends would have simply come to him instead of doing something like this. _If_ there was even a grain of truth to the assertion. He knew his boyfriend was no angel, but still....

“Iiiiiiishiiiiiiii~saaaaaaaaan~”

Isshi deleted the message and told himself to forget about it. It was nothing, it meant nothing. He trusted Reno, even loved him a little bit. He wasn't going to let someone else's jealousy poison this.

“Hey baby. They were having a sale on squid at the market. I wasn't sure what we would do with it, but I figured between us we could probably think of something. The guy at the counter said it was fresh caught this morning, too.”

“... Reno, are you telling me you bought something you have no idea how to cook?” Isshi asked, closing the lid on his laptop before walking into the kitchen. Reno was standing there looking incredibly pleased with himself as he pulled groceries from his market bag, what looked suspiciously like a whole squid already sitting on the counter.

“Well ... how hard can it be? Isshi-san's an accomplish cook, something like this shouldn't be a problem right?” Reno said, turning to blink at him with such an innocent expression it was almost too much to take. Shaking his head and chuckling, he reached out and ruffled Reno's hair.

“All right, all right, I'll deal with our leggy friend here,” he said, rolling up his sleeves to start with the dressing of the squid. He wasn't entirely sure what he was going to do with it either, but Reno wasn't entirely wrong about his abilities. He could batter and fry the legs easily enough, probably the best way to deal with them. As for the rest of the squid, well, he would just have to think of something. Soup, perhaps? Sliced into rings and battered like the legs? Too bad he didn't have an ice cream maker for the ink. Then again, Reno would likely have balked at the thought of squid ink ice cream; his lover really was quite fussy sometimes, adorably skittish when it came to more adventurous cuisine.

~*~*~

Reno had run through the words a hundred times or more, perfecting them over the course of the last few days. And yet each night ran the same. He would come home, say hello to Isshi's two dogs, check that the cats had enough kibble, and if Isshi hadn't found him by then, he would start water for tea, then go searching for his boyfriend on his own. And all those carefully prepared words would disappear.

Three days now, maybe ... well, maybe it wasn't really that big of a deal? Maybe he was better off just forgetting about the whole thing? What Isshi didn't know couldn't hurt him, right? Besides, it wasn't like it was ever going to happen again, he would see to that.

Resolved to his new course of action, Reno rolled over, molding himself to Isshi's back.

“Ne, baby, you awake?”

No response, but he didn't let that deter him. Hands slid down over bare skin, fingers dancing light teasing patterns. Isshi stirred slightly, but his lover was still more asleep than awake. Well, he knew just how to change that. Scooting away a slight bit, he coaxed his sleeping lover onto his back, then moved to straddle him, trailing his lips over bared chest. Licks and nips and feathery kisses, his eyes occasionally flicking up to check Isshi's face. A grin slipped across his lips when he glanced up and saw dark eyes watching him.

“Cherry....”

“Oh, did I wake you?” Reno purred, trying to put on his best innocent look while at the same time slipping a hand down to curl around Isshi's half hard cock. Dark eyes widened slightly, though a smirk was soon settling onto those lips he so loved to kiss.

“Didn't you get enough of that earlier, cherry?”

“I don't know what 'enough' means~” Reno said, grinning. Isshi actually chuckled, curling fingers into his hair and drawing him up into a slow, sensual kiss. This was everything he needed, just like this. He absolutely wasn't going to let go of this so easily.

~*~*~

Isshi needed to get back to recording, but he could hardly just ignore the sound of his name being called. Turning, he was a little surprised to see one of his kouhai, IV, trotting up the hall towards him.

“I, um, I know now's probably not a good time, senpai,” the bassist said, rubbing the back of his neck while not meeting his eyes. “But I, uh, really kinda need to talk to you. It's important.”

“I should be finished here about seven tonight, can it wait until then?”

“Uh, yeah ... yeah, that's fine,” IV said with a nod. “Dinner then? I'll, uh, meet you in the lobby here at seven?”

Isshi nodded, frowning as he watched the bassist turn and trot back down the same hall that had brought them together. Aside from official functions, most of his interaction with IV had been through instant messages at home. In that environment, perhaps bolstered by the distance text offered, IV had always struck him as bouncing and energetic and not at all the sort to be shy about anything. This sudden nervous reserve had him wondering just what the other wanted with him.

But that was a mystery that would be solved in due time, he was certain. For now, there was nothing to be gained from worrying about it. There was work to be done and if he didn't want to be late meeting his kouhai, he would be best served by getting on with it.

~*~*~

Reno felt guilty, he did, picking up his jeans and t-shirt. It had been an accident, a product of too many beers. He certainly hadn't _planned_ on staying out all night. The worried text messages from Isshi made him feel even worse. Borrowing Ryouga's shower, he resolved to find some way of making it up to him. Isshi was so good to him, putting up with all his little tweaks and shit, his weird friends and crazy hours. Coming home to Isshi's house felt so much more right than going home to some hole in the wall apartment or even his parents' house. He could actually find peace there, away from the bustle of the city center.

Leaving a note for the other guitarist to call him later, he slipped out of the other man's apartment. He wasn't sure what he could get Isshi as an apology. Flowers were for girls and if he tried to cook him breakfast ... well, for one thing, by the time he got back to the house, Isshi would probably already be up. Besides, he knew he couldn't cook to save his life, aside from one or two things, so that was out of the question. Other than music - and sex - he didn't have all that many skills he could use to try to apologize. Sure, when it came down to it, words would probably be enough, but ... he wanted to do something more for his lover. He just ... didn't know where to start.

Well, he wasn't the only guy in the world to be in a relationship. Maybe if he did a little research, asked a couple friends for ideas, he would be able to come up with something? It was worth a shot, at any rate.

~*~*~

“That looks like a bad sign....”

Startled, Isshi looked down to see he had systematically, and quite unconsciously, pulled the petals from three of the dozen roses Reno had given him. He wasn't sure what to think of that. Reno's apology had sounded and felt sincere and he had accepted it, so why was he being so destructive?

“Ah, well ... trying to unravel a plot knot,” he said, offering his adopted son a small smile. Kuina didn't look particularly convinced, though.

“Home alone tonight?” he asked instead, leaning against the door frame.

“Aa, and for the next few weeks as well, what with ViViD going out on tour.”

“So I could actually stay here this weekend and you'll make me dinner and I won't have to listen to him whining about it?” Kuina asked, and Isshi could almost see the hopefulness pouring off the younger man.

“Brat,” Isshi scolded in fond exasperation, abandoning his unfinished novella to head for the kitchen. “Curry rice tonight?”

“I'll get the rice started,” Kuina chirped, practically bouncing as he turned around to enter the kitchen. An easy enough task to let the teenager do for him, one that he knew for sure Kuina couldn't accidentally mess up too much. And at the same time, it let the young guitarist feel like he was being helpful, keeping a pout from those lips.

After dinner, he pressed the teen into service again by making him dry the dishes while he washed.

“Are you actually going to stay here this weekend, pup, or are you staying with Boye-chan?”

“Probably here. She's been working extra hard lately, but I'll see if I can't lure her over for dinner while I'm here?”

Isshi nodded, passing Kuina another bowl to dry. He understood how it was, trying to make a career in music work. Especially in the indies scene. He didn't get to see Kuina as often as he might have liked, either, though inasmuch as Celestial Garden was based in the Osaka scene, that was no surprise.

He wasn't sure what woke him in the middle of the night, surprised to feel someone at his back. And surprised again to roll over and find Kuina in bed with him.

“Puppy?”

“Bad dream,” Kuina mumbled, snuggling into his side again. “It's okay if I sleep here tonight, right?”

“Of course, puppy,” Isshi soothed, petting his hair and brushing some away from his face. Reno would have fussed and pouted, but then Reno wasn't home tonight. And, well, perhaps he had gotten a bit used to the idea of sharing his bed again. Brushing a kiss into purple hair, he hummed a few bars of a lullaby, just enough to put the younger man back to sleep. Kuina was getting entirely too skinny again, Isshi could count his ribs a little too easily. A weekend wasn't much time to put meat onto the boy's bones, but he was going to try it anyway.

~*~*~

“Is it true?”

“Isshi-san....”

“Is. It. True. Reno?”

Reno flinched as much at the use of his name as at the frigid tone. Isshi almost never called him by name anymore. And then there was the anger he could see dancing in the other man's eyes. Frightening, whispering of darkness and violence and blood, things he had never truly associated with his lover before now.

“It's not what you think....”

“Not what I think, hmm? It was all an accident?”

“Well it was,” he muttered defensively, but the words felt stupid even in his own ears. Did he really think such a weak defense was going to work?

“Do I _look_ like an idiot to you?” Isshi snarled, and Reno flinched again. “Is that what this is? You expect me to believe you just tripped and fell and oh dear, how did you end up naked on his dick _again_?”

“It ... it wasn't like that,” Reno stuttered, backing away from Isshi's anger. “Of-of course it wasn't like that. But it _was_ an accident.”

“An accident is stubbing your toe, not going around behind my back fucking your bandmates,” Isshi growled and Reno meeped when he felt himself colliding with a wall. When had that gotten there?

“Get out.”

“But....”

“Get out of my sight,” his lover repeated in a low, menacing growl. Not daring to turn his back on the other man's anger, he inched himself along the wall until he was able to escape the room. Technically, Isshi hadn't told him to leave the house, but with as angry as his lover was, well, he didn't see the point in taking any unnecessary risks. He'd just stay somewhere else for a couple of days, let his lover cool off. Then they could talk about this reasonably and Isshi would see things his way, he was sure of it. After all, it really had been an accident, a mistake. Too much beer and not enough sleep and it wasn't like it was something he was ever going to do again. He just had to wait for Isshi to be reasonable again, for him to be calm enough to see reason again. They'd sort this all out then and everything would be fine.

At least that's what Reno kept telling himself.

~*~*~

_I'm so sorry, baby. I ... I don't know why I do the things I do sometimes. But I'll ... I'll try harder. I'll get help or something, I just ... I love you so much, baby. So, so much. Please. Please let me make it up to you? I'll do anything, anything at all. Please. I'll change, I'll make things right. I promise. Please, believe me. I'll do anything you say. I love you. More than anything, I love you._

~*~*~

“I could still kill him, you know. Well, have him killed.”

“... Izumida Shinichirou!”

“Just stating a fact,” his friend murmured, though the act of sipping his tea did little to hide the smile on his lips. Isshi sighed, shaking his head before letting himself sprawl out on the floor again. After the latest plaintive message from Reno, he had needed to talk to someone about the whole mess. Izumi had seemed the most logical choice, hence his current position of laying on his friend's floor.

“You really did fall in love with him, didn't you?” Izumi murmured, the teasing gone from voice and posture both.

“Is that so hard to imagine?” Isshi huffed, glowering up at one of his best friends, albeit only for a moment. “How was I supposed to know he was ... he was....”

“A lying, cheating, selfish child?”

Isshi arrowed another glare at his friend, but it wasn't terribly effective. No doubt because Izumi wasn't entirely wrong. Or wrong at all, really. Reno was a grown man ... who had a bad habit of acting like a child when things didn't go his way. Isshi had always dismissed it without much thought in the past, but now that he was being forced to face the last few months, the pouting stood out more. Sighing, he closed his eyes and rubbed at his face. What had he been thinking, letting his heart fall for someone like that?

He was startled by the feel of fingers carding through his hair. But instead of Izumi, when he opened his eyes it was Naoki kneeling next to him.

“Demon-sama always says everyone deserves a second chance, ne? And if he betrays your heart and trust again, well, we can still kill him~”

“Naoran....”

He knew Naoki was probably right, both about giving Reno a second chance and about what would happen if Reno betrayed him again. Well, ok, the chances of any of them actually killing the boy were remote at best, but make him wish for death? That might happen. Isshi wasn't entirely sure it was wise, but... Just one more try.

~*~*~

Reno carefully crawled onto the couch, arranging himself so he could lay down with his head in Isshi's lap.

“Cherry ... what are you doing?”

“Don't mind me,” Reno murmured, smiling up at his boyfriend. “You read your book and I'll read mine,” he explained, waving his manga. Isshi gave him a skeptical look, so he shifted and started reading. His boyfriend was probably just surprised to see him with an actual book, even if it was just manga; not like he had a reputation for being much of a reader. But it was one way to spend time with him that wouldn't irritate him and, well, he had said he was going to make an effort to spend more time together. Part of his promise to do anything to make things right with Isshi, even though it felt really weird to be home on a Friday night. Then again, he couldn't imagine going out to the clubs with Isshi. His boyfriend was just ... so old and mature, the thought of him in a dance club just ... didn't want to work with the rest of his thinking. He just couldn't picture it.

On the other hand, there was something to be said for laying on the couch like this. Restful, especially with the way Isshi was now petting him. Sneaking a glance up, he was a little surprised to see Isshi appeared to be unaware of what his hand was doing. Somehow, though, that made it even better.

A third of the way through his book, however, the silence started getting to him. He just wasn't made for this sort of quiet, domestic life. Not yet, anyway. Closing his book, he gnawed on his bottom lip as he tried to think of something they could do that would be more interesting, exciting. Clubbing was obviously out, karaoke was only fun in a big group, and the only movie playing that interested him he had already promised to go see with Shin. He could call Kuina over, if his friend wasn't already too drunk; that had turned out to be quite fun the last time. But his phone was in the other room charging and if he got up to get it, then he'd have to explain and that would ... well, at the least, it would ruin the surprise. And something like that, it was better if it was a surprise.

“Something wrong, cherry?”

“Hmm? Oh....” Reno trailed off into silence at the feel of a blush staining his cheeks. “Just thinking,” he mumbled.

“Mm, well, be careful with that, ne? Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself,” Isshi teased, smiling at him over the rim of his book.

“Mean old man,” Reno mock grumbled, lightly swatting at his lover's arm. 

“If you need another book, cherry, I promise not to mind you moving.”

Reno nodded, sliding off the couch. He didn't really need anything, but it made for a perfect excuse to text Kuina. And, well, he could pick out a different volume to cover the message. Isshi would be so surprised....

~*~*~

A soft breeze blew through the window, ruffling his hair as he went about making dinner. He wasn't entirely sure who would be coming, if anyone - Reno had mentioned the possibility of working late and staying in the city - but he made enough for several just in case. Having leftovers wouldn't hurt anything. Though, from the sounds of it, the dogs had caught the scent of someone they didn't see often.

“Issama? Tadaima....”

Isshi blinked, glancing over his shoulder as if he could so easily see through plaster and wood. That voice....

“In the kitchen, pet,” he called out, already moving to set water on for tea.

“I wasn't sure I'd catch you in this early in the evening.”

“Studio was having too many technical difficulties, we called it a day early. I write better at home anyway,” Isshi explained, wiping his hands and setting aside the towel before turning to greet his unexpected guest properly. But where Ryuutarou was reticent, Isshi ignored him and pulled him into a warm hug.

“I haven't seen you in awhile, pet,” he said, smiling as he sat his friend at the kitchen table with him. “Although I suppose with those two and then work, you keep plenty busy, ne?”

Ryuutarou blushed brightly, but the look in his eyes was sad rather than happy. It leeched the pleasure of the moment out of the air, seeding worry in its place.

“What happened?” Isshi murmured, reaching out to catch Ryuutarou's hands. “Tell me everything.”

“They say it was some sort of psychological event, a sort of mental break,” the elder singer murmured, sighing softly and squeezing his hands. “They don't know when or even if he'll ever be himself again. Shiro-kun is taking it pretty badly, I don't know if we're going to make it through this.”

Isshi listened to his friend's whole sad story, only moving away when the kettle whistled. When he had the tea tray settled, he silently nudged Ryuutarou out of the kitchen, steering him towards the couch in the front sitting room. Even so, Ryuutarou barely managed half a cup before breaking down in pained tears, burrowing against him not unlike a lost child. Isshi's heart ached at the pain in his friend, holding him close until the tears came to an end and even longer. He didn't even have any handy words of comfort to offer, knowing the usual platitudes weren't going to work. So he said nothing, opting instead to hold Ryuutarou close, petting his hair and humming softly until he could hear the other man snoring softly in his sleep. And yet when he stirred to stand and carry him upstairs, Ryuutarou immediately came awake, hands latching onto his shirt.

“Don't go,” the other man whispered roughly, the desperation in his voice making Isshi's heart ache again.

“I'll always be here for you, Ryuu-pet,” he soothed, brushing a kiss to his forehead. “Do you want to stay here tonight or are you going back to Shiro-kun?”

“He won't leave the hospital,” Ryuutarou said, shaking his head. “The apartment is so empty....”

“Then you'll stay here with me,” Isshi murmured, pressing another kiss to his forehead. “I'll even drive you into the studio in the mornings and pick you up in the evenings, just let me know your schedule, ne?”

The other vocalist nodded, silently curling against Isshi's chest once more.

“Now then ... you can take a nap now if you want, or you can help me finish making dinner, your choice.”

“I'll help with dinner,” the other man said, seeming to perk up a bit at that. “It looked like you were making quite a lot, I'm not intruding on something, am I?”

“Maa, Ryuu-pet, you could never be an intrusion,” Isshi said, smiling as he gently urged him to his feet. “Sometimes the kids find their way here, too, and since I had the time....”

“Kids? Mou, Issama, you didn't tell me you had settled down that much!”

Isshi laughed as he walked them back into the kitchen. Had it really been so long since the two of them had caught up with each other properly? It certainly seemed that way, as much as he was having to explain and share. But it felt good to talk about it, to share his worries about Kuina - that one was once again too skinny for Isshi's liking - and the lingering nervousness about his situation with Reno. So far, things seemed to be improving with them. Certainly, Reno was spending more nights at home with him.

“Well, you've certainly been busy,” Ryuutarou teased lightly as they sat down to dinner at last. “If you want, I could try talking to this puppy of yours, but really, he sounds like most kids his age. Working too much and eating too little is a staple of the indies life, remember? Besides, he might be too busy hyperventilating over me to actually hear a word I said.”

“ _Sou ka_... but I can't help worrying. It won't help anything if he makes himself sick from this.”

“Of course not, but you worrying isn't going to magically make him gain weight, either, Issama,” the other man scolded, setting down his tea. “Change the things you can, let go of the rest. As for your cherry ... what about a chastity device? I know, I know, you said he isn't that kinky, but maybe if you put it forward as a peace of mind thing? You said he promised to do anything you asked and that way you could stop worrying about _that_ , too.”

Isshi nodded, quietly promising to consider it properly. He didn't really think Reno would go for it, but Ryuutarou was right about one thing: it wouldn't hurt anything to ask.

~*~*~

“Why is there a giant dog bed in our room?”

“You could at least say 'I'm home' first,” Isshi mumbled, not looking up from his laptop. Writing an erotic novel had sounded like a simple enough idea and the first one had even come out of him fairly easily. And sold well enough that he had been contracted to write three more. So of course the second one wasn't coming to him nearly as easily.

Without warning, he found himself with a sudden lapful of Reno, the guitarist's arms winding around his neck.

“Hey baby, have a hard day?” Reno purred, fingers toying with the hair at the nape of his neck. “I've missed you so much today.”

“Welcome home, cherry,” he replied, smiling in spite of himself. “It's been a long week.”

“Mm, and Shin-kun's apartment smells funny,” Reno said, wrinkling his nose. “I'm sorry I couldn't come home sooner, but I have to set a good example and the new single isn't going to record itself. But I really did miss being home. Missed you. Especially this.”

Isshi inhaled sharply when Reno's hand abruptly dropped between them to rub his groin firmly.

“I've missed you so, so much,” Reno murmured, lips brushing kisses along his jaw. “Please fuck me, baby. Right here, right now. Please, baby? I've missed your hard cock inside me....”

“Dirty boy,” Isshi replied quietly, fisting a hand in Reno's hair.

“All for you, Daddy,” Reno said, the hand on Isshi's groin moving to open his pants, wiggling inside to slowly stroke him to hardness. Growling softly, Isshi closed the lid on his laptop, moving it aside before lifting Reno onto the desk in its place.

“You're overdressed, cherry,” he said, smirking as he tugged on his lover's belt. He didn't even bother with the shirt, giving up on too tight pants when they didn't want to go past mid thigh easily enough for his liking. Instead he pushed Reno's legs up, the stuck pants making it somewhat easier to keep them up and out of the way as he proceeded to press a hastily lubed finger into him. That blush he did so love to see was bright on Reno's cheeks, but the younger man wasn't resisting him at all, instead panting heavily and begging for more. Two fingers, three, and then he was thrusting into that tight ass, groaning himself at how good it felt. The week apart must have had more of an effect on him than he had realized. On both of them, since neither of them lasted very long. They cleaned each other up and redressed, then moved out to the veranda to share a post-coital smoke and snuggle.

“The dog bed is Ryuu-kun's though I don't think he's used it even once yet,” he said halfway through the cigarette they were sharing. “Ryuu-kun's going through a tough time right now, he's been staying here this week. I'll let him know you actually made it home tonight, though I'm not sure if he's going to come back here tonight or spend the night out with the rest of Pura.”

“Ryuu-kun ... Ryuutarou-senpai? But ... why would he have a dog bed? Especially one that big? It's huge!”

“It's a comfort,” Isshi said, shrugging lightly. “You'd have to ask him if you wanted to know the details.”

Reno nodded thoughtfully, declining the cigarette when Isshi tried to pass it back to him. Isshi took a last drag himself before stubbing it out, finished with it as well. He wanted to enjoy this moment for however long it lasted, they could talk about other business later.

~*~*~

Reno sat on the veranda, a light blanket around his shoulders; his boxers weren't quite enough this late at night anymore. Watching the sky, he exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke and sighed. Was he being oversensitive? Probably. Ok, no, definitely. Three weeks now and this was only the second time that Ryuutarou had let himself into their bedroom, crawled into Isshi's side of the bed. It wasn't like his senpai was looking for anything more than the comfort of another person, so it really was completely ridiculous for Reno to be feeling this way.

Another heavy exhale. Maybe it was because he knew Ryuutarou wasn't the only person Isshi had let into his bed. Never mind that anything that might have happened or might still happen with Kuina was, at the root of it all, entirely his own fault. And then there was the weird energy that would pop up any time Tora came calling. There was something deep between his two senpai and it made him uneasy because he knew what he had with Isshi didn't run anywhere near that deep, not yet.

Sigh. He was running himself in useless circles. He was probably just overreacting because of IV's needling. The look in the bassist's eyes when he had oh so casually told him that Isshi had slept with someone else during that time when they had been separated. That IV wouldn't say who made him all the more suspicious that his friend was just trying to get a rise out of him. At the same time, that look had been so serious, it was hard to just dismiss it out of hand, even if the source _was_ IV. After three days of dropped comments and knowing looks, well, of course he was feeling paranoid. It didn't help that he had never thought to ask about those two weeks until now. Isshi hadn't volunteered anything and, until IV's little comments, he had sort of settled on not wanting to know one way or the other. But now ... the thought of Isshi sleeping with someone else while they had been separated bothered him, and that bothered him even more.

“This is stupid,” he muttered to himself, taking a last drag on his cigarette. Though maybe he would ... suggest to Isshi that maybe Ryuutarou should go back to his own apartment now? Then again, not like he was spending that many nights at the house himself with ViViD's current recording schedule. And that, he decided with a huff, was what was really bothering him. He had gotten so few nights with his boyfriend this month and his overly full schedule was likely to continue for at least another week, if not two. To have a rare night home interrupted, even if he had been asleep when Ryuutarou had first let himself into the room....

But he was wasting precious time, feeling sorry for himself like this. Checking the yard just in case one of the dogs had snuck out, he then went back inside. He couldn't press for a second round, not with his senpai right there in the bed with them, but at least he could get some more cuddles.

~*~*~

Isshi started at the feel of hands on his shoulders, wondering how anyone could have gotten into his office without setting off the dogs. Or was it that he had been so lost in thought - and his guest so familiar to them - that he hadn't even noticed the brief barking? He wasn't sure which thought unsettled him more.

“Just me,” Kuina said softly, squeezing his shoulders. That answered the dog question. Sighing, Isshi let his head fall back into his hands. “I'm sorry, ne?”

“For what, puppy?”

“I dunno,” the young guitarist mumbled, hands shifting to slowly rub his shoulders. “I know it's not my fault he's a dick, but ... I feel like I shoulda been able to stop this or something. Gods know you deserve better than this.”

“It's not your fault, Kuipuppy,” he mumbled, scrubbing his face for a moment and then slowly sitting himself upright again. “I was warned, but of course I didn't listen. I thought he meant it when he said he could change.” His own soft heart that had wanted to believe Reno had really meant it, had really wanted to change. Maybe he even had.

“I'm still sorry,” Kuina said softly, sliding arms around him for a hug. Isshi sighed, leaning back against him.

“Is that why you came up here? To check on the old man?” he asked softly, not sure he really wanted to know.

“Had to make sure Tousan was okay, like a good daughter,” the youngster teased, pierced lips suddenly brushing against his cheek. “I thought maybe I'd beat him up, too, but since he's not here ... dinner? Not that you have to cook, but I'll bet you haven't eaten in way too long.”

“Thank you, puppy,” he said softly, momentarily hugging the arms around him before getting up from his desk. Dinner was probably a good idea, dinner and company an even better one. Cooking would even most likely help him deal with his confused thoughts. Certainly he couldn't leave the cooking up to Kuina; who knew what his adopted son would do to his kitchen if left there alone. He would deal with Reno when the other man dared to return, as he was quite sure he would. This was the last time, he would see to that.

~*~*~

“You must think me completely stupid.”

Reno startled at the sound of Isshi's voice coming out of the darkness. The hall light clicked on, Isshi standing there with a completely impassive look on his face. Black in a way that made Reno shiver, a living silence that spoke so much more than just those few words. Like a knife through his heart, the way those cold eyes cut right through him. What...?

“Did you really think that I wouldn't find out, Reno-san?”

“I don't -,” he started, his words trailing into silence when Isshi held up a small plastic lock. He swallowed hard. It was one they hadn't used yet.

“They're numbered. I thought for sure he was lying or maybe just imagining it, but I made a note anyway. I thought then the number was a little high, but then I thought maybe there had been a sequencing error. It happens, they don't always start at the same place, sometimes the machines get jammed and why waste perfectly good plastic. So I made sure the next one was the next number. This isn't it. I won't ask how you got into them.

Reno felt like he should be saying something, but his throat refused to produce the words. He'd never noticed any marks on them before, though to be honest it had never occurred to him that they might have been numbered like that. Just little bits of plastic, shaped like a lock that, once closed, couldn't be opened again, instead needing to be cut off. The control for the chastity device Isshi had asked him to wear, the reassurance that Reno wasn't falling back on his old habits.

The silence between them grew heavy with accusation and still he couldn't speak in his own defense. A living thing breathing at the back of his neck. He could feel his mouth moving, but no sound came forth. He wouldn't know what to say anyway. How did you defend a broken promise?

“Get out.”

His heart leaped into his throat at the dispassion in dark eyes. Eyes that had once warmed every time they had turned to him, now like shards of black ice. His heart quaked at how completely that affection had disappeared.

“Isshi-san....”

“Take your things and get out. And don't look back. I don't want to see your face here ever again.”

“Isshi-san, please, let me -.

“I said _leave_ you lying whore,” the elder snarled and Reno reflexively jerked back at the frigid rage in those few words. Biting his lip, trembling, he took the stairs two at a time, expecting ... he wasn't sure what. Something. Rushing to shove his things into a bag, he kept praying that this was all a sick joke somehow. Surely things couldn't just end like this, surely there had to be something more, something else he could do. And yet Isshi was standing at the base of the stairs when he came down them, that same icy look on his face. His own heart shattered at that non-look. No, this couldn't be happening. He had to find the words, had to say something to make this right. He couldn't just let this happen....

“Isshi-san, I....”

“Save your lies for someone else, whore. I'm sick of them.”

“I love you.”

“You don't know the meaning of the word. Get out.”

He'd been wrong. The hurt, the anger in those words cut worse than any knife.


End file.
